Alyssa didn't know when she dozed off, but she was waken by the sound of the phone ringing.

Brian knocked on her door, and said "It's Dr. Wilson"

"This is it...." Alyssa mumbled as she picked up the phone.

Brian walked into the room, sat on the bed, and took Alyssa's hand in his.

"Hello..." Alyssa spoke into the phone.

"Yes... Alyssa? I've got good news and bad news...." The doctor said.

"Ummm... the good news?" Alyssa asked a little shakily.

"The pregnancy test came back negative. Judging from how scared you looked yesterday, I take this was good news for you?" Dr. Wilson asked.

"Yes" Alyssa replied as she looked at Brian and mouthed the words "I'm not pregnant!" At him, he just smiled and patted her hand.

"Ummm... what's the bad news?" Alyssa asked.

"Well... you have the early stages of appendicitis! You will need to have surgery" The doctor said.

"When?" Alyssa asked.

"As soon as possible. Could you come in tonight?" Dr. Wilson asked.

"Ummm... yeah I guess...." Alyssa responded.

"Good... get to my office as soon as you can. We'll admit you from there!" Dr. Wilson said.

"Okay..." Alyssa thanked the doctor and hung up the phone.

"Well?" Brian asked.

"I've got appendicitis!" Alyssa told him. "I've gotta have surgery tonight!"

"Okay!" Brian said as he gave her a hug.

"Could you watch Brianne for me?" Alyssa asked.

"I was going to!" Brian said. "Now come on, let's get you to the hospital! The sooner you get there, the sooner you have the surgery, get out, and you'll be back in my arms!"

"I hope so!" Alyssa exclaimed trying to laugh.

An hour later, Alyssa and Brian walked into the hospital.

"How may I help you?" A smiling nurse asked.

"Ummmm... I'm supposed to have appendix surgery" Alyssa explained.

"Oh sure! Can I have your name?" The nurse asked looking at the clipboard in her hands.

"Jones...Alyssa Jones" Alyssa replied holding on to Brian's hand for support. She could never stand the stench of hospitals, it always made her want to pass out.

"Ah! Here we are! Now, first off, I need to draw some blood. Your husband can come with you he wants!" The nurse gestured to Brian.

"Ummm... he's my boyfriend!" Alyssa corrected the nurse.

"Oh dear... family members only are allowed back!" The nurse said.

"Oh..." Alyssa sadly looked at Brian.

"Ummm... sweetie, I'll wait out here! I'm not too fond of blood!" Brian smiled nervously.

"Alright..." Alyssa said, but she didn't let go of Brian's hand.

"Oh, hon, don't worry... you'll be back, this will only take a minute!" The nurse said as she noticed how scared Alyssa looked.

"What?!" Alyssa asked, then she noticed she was still tightly gripping Brian's hand. "Oh! I'm sorry!" She managed to let go of Brian's hand, and follow the nurse back to an examination cubicle.

Twenty minutes later, Alyssa emerged from the cubicle feeling somewhat light-headed. Slowly, she made her way back to the waiting room where she Brian sitting in a chair. When he saw her, he stood up, and walked over to her.

"You look pale..." Brian whispered as he kissed Alyssa softly on the lips.

"Nah! I'm better now, really!" Alyssa said as she slowly sat down in a chair. Brian sat next to her. Then, almost immediately, he stood back up, and looked towards the front door. Alyssa followed his gaze, and noticed a tall-dark haired young man of about 27, walking towards them. Walking beside his was a pretty young-woman of about the same age.

"Kevin! What are you doing here?" Brian asked hugging the guy.

"I got your message, you said to bring the ring?" Kevin asked.

"Oh! You must've misunderstood! I said...uh... thing! Bring the thing!" Brian quickly started to blush.

"Cuz... I know you sometimes call me an old man, but I'm not deaf, you specifically said bring the ring!" Kevin exclaimed. "Here!" Kevin handed Brian a small grey box.

"So" Brian said as he slipped the box in his back jeans pocket. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh... this is my girlfriend, Theresa! We've been dating for about a year now!" Kevin explained.

"Year and a half to be exact babe!" The girl quickly responded smiling up at him.

Kevin just smiled back down at her. "Anyways, what's the emergency?" Kevin asked. "You caught us just as we were heading out to dinner!"

"Oh... Alyssa has to have appendix surgery, and ummm... I was supposed to watch her little girl, but I don't want to leave her alone here, so could you?" Brian asked.

"Ummm... hon, do you mind?" Kevin asked looking down at Theresa.

"No! I love kids!" Theresa replied.

"Sure Bri, we'll watch her!" Kev told Brian.

"Thanks cuz!" Brian said

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Alyssa was called back into the surgery prep room, where she was given a name bracelet, and one of those horrid nightgown things to wear. Once she was ready, she laid down on a bed on wheels. The surgeon stuck the I.V. in her. This made Alyssa blink back tears, she never could stand needles. Even when she had Brianne, crazy as it seems, she refused any pain medication, because they all were given in injections.

"Well... Alyssa, are you ready?" The surgeon asked smiling down on her.

"As ready as I'll ever be..." Alyssa replied.

The surgeon wheeled her out, and as she passed Brian, Kevin, and Theresa she smiled at them. The surgeon noticed this, and walking. Brian stepped up to the bed, and smiled down on her.

"You'll be fine, babe, I'll be waiting right here for you..." He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I love you..." Alyssa whispered

"I love you too!" Brian replied.

Then she was wheeled into the operating room, where she was given an anesthia and asked to count backwards from 50. She dozed off after "49". Alyssa dreamt that she was flying, and then she flew into a cloud... surrounded by white.... she tried to get out. She opened her eyes and gazed into the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen.

"Hey darlin..." Brian whispered. "Don't try to talk... just get some rest... I'm staying right here..." and he kissed her forehead.

Alyssa woke up the next morning to Brian holding her hand and looking at her.

"Hey you!" She smiled at him.

"I told you I wasn't going to leave you!" Brian smiled at her.

"How'd you sneak back here? I thought only family was allowed?" Alyssa asked him.

"Well..." Brian reached in his pocket and pulled out that grey box Kevin gave him the night before. "Ummmm... I'd get down on my knee, but ya know, the bed's kinda high..." Brian explained as he opened the box.

"Oh no! Brian...." Alyssa started blushing, she covered her face.

"Alyssa Jones... I've known you since high school... now I'm sure.... ummm... will you marry me?" Brian asked looking at her with his blue eyes.

Alyssa started to cry, but only after saying "Yes... I will marry you!"

Then Brian slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her on the lips.

"Oh man... this... I love you so much!" Alyssa said smiling at her hubby-to-be.

"Same here!" Brian responded before Alyssa wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him towards her, and they kissed.

END OF CHAPTER 6